The present invention relates to an iron type golf club head, and in particular to a peripheral weighted, cavity back iron type golf club head having an alignment and sighting means overlaying a portion of the back cavity to aid a golfer in positioning the club head in a direction square to the intended target and including a toe weight mass adjacent said alignment and sighting means.
Iron type golf clubs generally are used to hit a golf ball at a specific target, such as a putting green, and for specific distances. The iron type clubs are designed with various degrees of loft and length in order to control the trajectory and distance of golf ball is hit. Conventional irons range from a minimum of about 16 degrees for a one iron to a maximum of about 60 degrees for a wedge type club. Traditionally, a set of irons will include at least eight to ten clubs each having varying degrees of loft within the above range. As individual clubs in a conventional set of irons become more lofted, the club faces become higher or wider, particularly in the area toward the toe of the club head, and the top or top ridge formed on the top of the club head is formed in a diverging angular direction which generally extends upwardly and outwardly from the hosel toward the toe of the golf club head. This conventional structure has been developed for iron type golf club heads in order to maximize the weighting characteristics of the golf club head and to maximize the ball striking surface on the various sized golf club heads. Whereas this type configuration works quite well for these purposes, the outwardly diverging plane of the top edge or top ridge line of the club head tends to be confusing and improper if it is used for alignment purposes. This configuration also results in a club having an uppermost toe portion which is located well above and away from the club's center of percussion and center of gravity. The weight of the club head at this uppermost position is believed to minimize effectiveness and may be detrimental to the overall performance of the club.
A patent to Swanson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,763, discloses a club with a rectangular club face and a top ridge line extending straight across the entire length of the ball striking face in a direction perpendicular to the intended target line, for alignment purposes. However, that design provides a completely different structure which is non-traditional in shape, weight distribution and strikeability characteristics.
Another patent to Shea U.S. Pat. No. 1,319,802 shows a putter whose loft is conventionally less than 16 degrees, having an elevated horizontal portion 3 which serves as a guide when a player addresses a golf ball.
The present invention relates to an iron type golf club head which provides the most desirable characteristics of optimum weight distribution and greater ball strikability potential combined with an easy to use sighting or alignment means formed on the uppermost portion of the top ridge of the club head. The alignment means enables a player "at address" to position the club head square to the intended target line.
The golf club head of the present invention includes a sighting alignment section on the upper portion of the top ridge which is perpendicular to the intended target line of flight and is preferably formed parallel to the longitudinal axis between the heel and toe of the club face which is perpendicular to the intended line of flight. This sighting alignment section is located on the upper portion of the top ridge adjacent to and substantially at the upper toe portion of the club head and is substantially parallel to the sole of the club head and therefore substantially horizontal to the ground when the club head is addressed to the ball.
The sighting alignment section is formed as an integral part of the club head to enhance the squareness thereof when addressing the ball. The sighting alignment section aids in aligning the eyes toward the intended target and facilitates a ninety degree alignment position or a square club head position to the intended target or direction by providing an optimum focal point on the club head. The sighting alignment section is located on the uppermost portion of the club head and provides the golfer with an unobstructed sighting and alignment means that is always visible, notwithstanding the location of the sole of the club head which at times may not be seen as, for example, if it lies in heavy or tall grass.
In the preferred embodiments, the "square" portion of the top ridge of the club head which forms the sighting alignment area would extend approximately one-third to two-thirds of the distance across the ball striking face of the club head. It is also contemplated that the sighting and alignment means may be combined with an arrow, lines or other suitable indicia formed on the face of the club head to further enhance the ability of the golfer to squarely align the club head at the target. Such an arrow, lines or other indicia would be perpendicular to the "square" portion of the top ridge and would therefore generally indicate the intended line of flight.
The design of the club head of the present invention redistributes the weight which would normally be adjacent the upper toe portion and at the widest or thickest sole area of a golf club head and repositions it closer to the center of gravity.
The mass removed from the upper toe portion and sole area is formed as a weight mass closer to the center of gravity within the rear cavity of the club head adjacent the toe portion. This weight distribution provides improved control and feel.
Various embodiments of the weight mass are located at the toe in a high, low and central position as well as freestanding within the cavity and as a separator within the cavity forming two smaller cavities.
Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of an iron type golf club head having improved weighting and ball striking characteristics in combination with an alignment and sighting means on an upper portion of the top ridge of the club head to enhance the ability of a player to properly and easily align the club head with the intended target line.
Another object is to provide a club head having alignment indicia on both the top ridge and the face of the club head combined with a weighting mass in the rear cavity of the club head.
Still another object is to provide a golf club head having an alignment and sighting means on the upper top ridge portion which displaces a weighted mass relocated between the center of gravity and the toe portion within the rear cavity of the club head.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.